I've just completed a new build and I am planning to install and use Linux for the first time in the form of a dual boot with Windows 7 Ultimate & the latest Ubuntu release. I intend to use a 120GB SSD for the OS's and most applications, and to store other data on a 1TB HDD.
After scouring forums on the topic of partitioning drives for this sort of dual boot, I've come up with the following partition scheme, and I am looking for feedback on it:
SSD - 120GB (Samsung 840 EVO):
- [C:] 60GB (NTFS) -> Windows system partition
- [sda1] 20GB (ext4) -> /
- [sda2] 10GB (ext4) -> /home ... (symbolic links to folders for docs, media files, etc moved to HDD)
- [sda3] 10GB (ext4) -> /usr
- ~20GB -> unallocated
HDD - 1TB (Western Digital Caviar Blue)
- [D:] ~700GB (NTFS) -> Windows data partition
- [sdb2] ~300GB (ext4) -> Ubuntu data partition (folders for docs, media files, etc moved from /home on SSD)
- [sdb3] 4GB (ext4) -> /var
- [sdb4] 8GB (ext4) -> /swap (= my 8GB RAM)
Questions
- Is this partition scheme reasonable for what I'm trying to do and my usage (usage described below)?
- Are each of the partition sizes reasonable and appropriate?
- Do I need a /boot partition? Am I missing any other advisable partitions or including unnecessary ones?
- I've read conflicting advice about leaving unallocated space on SSDs. Is this necessary? Would I be better off allocating some/all of that space to Windows, or something else?
- Is it a better practice to create a separate NTFS partition on HDD for data sharing between the Windows/Ubuntu than to just access the "Windows data" NTFS partition from Ubuntu?
If I am misunderstanding anything please let me know that too.
Notes about my usage: I will be using Windows 7 for most day-to-day work as well as 3D computer graphics work (applications such as Maya, Unity). I will be using Ubuntu, initially, for some software development work (nothing very intense) and for learning more about Linux in general. I hope to use Ubuntu more and more as time goes on and hope to have some headroom for both OS's.
/swap
should be on your SSD. You should definitely use the remainder of the unallocated space to your Windows Partition - otherwise all your virtual memory usage when running Windows apps will be on your HDD which will slow your system down significantly. You have actually given more than you really need for Ubuntu, based on what you have described I really don't think you need to make/
(root),/var
and/home
and/usr
separate partitions. Just stick with/
@ 15GB total + the 8GB/swap
and give the rest to Windows. Just keep your HDD as NTFS don't need to separate anything.